Giants' Justin Verlander: Makes Giants spring debut
Rotowire
Verlander gave up one run (on a home run) over two innings with a strikeout and walk in his San Francisco spring debut Monday. "Overall, I'm healthy," Verlander told MLB.com. "I thought the velo was OK for the first start of the spring. Better than what I was doing last year, so that's a big improvement. Overall, I was pleased."
Verlander battled shoulder and neck injuries in 2024, the latter of which he's hinted at returning too soon from and could have played a factor in him finishing the year with a 5.48 ERA and 1.38 WHIP over 90.1 innings. It's a good sign he's fully healthy as spring training begins. However, at age 42 this season it's not a given he'll return to anything close to his pre-2024 form.
Verlander said Monday that he began throwing much earlier than usual this offseason and is already touching 92 mph, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Verlander averaged 93.5 mph with his four-seamer in 2024, but at this stage of the offseason the hurler is viewing 92 mph as an encouraging sign. The righty also said he's addressed the shoulder and back issues that limited him to just 90.1 innings this past season, although it's not clear exactly what that entails. Verlander inked a one-year, $15 million contract with the Giants last week and will be looking to bounce back in 2025 in what will be his age-42 season.
Verlander signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Giants on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Verlander battled shoulder and neck injuries in 2024, the latter of which he's hinted at returning too soon from and could have played a factor in him finishing the year with a 5.48 ERA and 1.38 WHIP over 90.1 innings -- easily the worst line of his illustrious career. Set to turn 42 in February, he's unlikely to approach numbers similar to his 2022 AL Cy Young campaign, though a full offseason of recovery could enable the veteran righty to return to form as a quality starter in 2025.
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